New search

City comparison

Winston Salem, NC vs Garland, TX

Winston Salem and Garland are closer on paper than many city pairs, so the move comes down to how you weight cost, safety, schools, and climate. Typical rent sits near $2,150 in Winston Salem and $2,150 in Garland, and median household income lands at $78,000 versus $78,000. Use the category rows below to see which gaps would change your daily life.

Neither city has a clear overall edge here. Winston Salem is the easier city on typical rent, but Garland can still be the better daily fit depending on schools, safety, and climate. Both are defensible choices for different reasons.

Visit both if you can. Cities reveal themselves in the ordinary moments, a Tuesday morning commute, a Saturday errand run, not on a weekend visit.

Winston Salem, NC

Rent
2,150/mo
Median income
78,000
Crime index
88
Schools
A-
Weather
n/a

Garland, TX

Rent
2,150/mo
Median income
78,000
Crime index
88
Schools
A-
Weather
n/a

Rent

Neck and neck

Winston Salem and Garland are about even on rent.

Winston Salem

$2,150/mo

Garland

$2,150/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent in Winston Salem is $2,150 a month versus $2,150 in Garland, close enough that housing cost should not decide the move by itself. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets, then pick the city that wins the categories you actually live in: safety, schools, pay, or weather.

Planning to buy in Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide.

Median income

Neck and neck

Winston Salem and Garland are about even on median income.

Winston Salem

$78,000

Garland

$78,000

What this means for your life

Median household income is nearly even: $78,000 in Winston Salem and $78,000 in Garland. Compare offers, not citywide pay. Your field can beat the median in either place. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit.

Crime index

Neck and neck

Winston Salem and Garland are about even on crime index.

Winston Salem

88 (100 = avg)

Garland

88 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Winston Salem and Garland post similar crime indexes (88 vs 88, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.

School scores

Neck and neck

Winston Salem and Garland are about even on school scores.

Winston Salem

A- ยท 86/100

Garland

A- ยท 86/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Winston Salem, A- in Garland). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better. At this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

Not enough data

Not enough data to compare typical weather.

Winston Salem

n/a

Garland

n/a

What this means for your life

We do not have a complete temperature pair for Winston Salem and Garland. Check a year of highs and lows yourself, and visit in summer and winter before you decide which climate you can live with day to day.

Fit check

Who should choose Winston Salem

Most movers who want a balanced city without a clear dealbreaker category

On these five categories Garland takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Winston Salem because the stats are kinder. They are not. Choose Winston Salem only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.

Open the Winston Salem report โ†’

Fit check

Who should choose Garland

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Garland

On these five categories Winston Salem takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Garland because the stats are kinder. They are not. Choose Garland only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.

Open the Garland report โ†’

Bottom line

Winston Salem vs Garland: Our Take

Winston Salem and Garland split the scoreboard, so this page tips to Winston Salem as the stronger default package for most movers.

Typical rent sits near $2,150/month in Winston Salem and $2,150/month in Garland.

The main trade-off is neighborhood variance: citywide scores can hide a block that feels nothing like the average in either city.

Unless a specific job offer or family network locks you into Garland, Winston Salem is the stronger overall choice on this data.

Common questions

Winston Salem vs Garland FAQ

Is Winston Salem cheaper than Garland?
Not by much. Typical rent is $2,150 a month in Winston Salem and $2,150 in Garland. Treat housing cost as a wash and compare salary, schools, and safety instead.
Which city is safer, Winston Salem or Garland?
Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 88 in Winston Salem and 88 in Garland (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.
Which city has better schools, Winston Salem or Garland?
School composites are close: A- in Winston Salem and A- in Garland. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

Ready to move to Winston Salem?

Next steps

Tools for your move

Quotes and listings for Winston Salem when you're ready to act.

Keep researching

Explore more comparisons

Nearby research

Related Cities

Open full neighborhood reports for Winston Salem and Garland, plus other cities in NC and TX.